FINA Releases 2013 World Champs Qualifying Time Standards

FINA has announced the qualifying standards and procedures to the 2013 World Championships that are to be held in Barcelona, Spain. Similarly to the London Olympics, the qualifying procedures include an “A” cut and a “B” cut (though this time they were smart to do away with the confusing showy names). To enter two swimmers in the meet, both must have hit a FINA A time; to enter one swimmer, that swimmer must have at least a B time. Federations may choose to enter swimmers without qualifying times as well, though a maximum is set to a total of four per country, if any of those four have not met either time standard.

As this is a different sort of meet than the Olympics, there is no cap on total athletes, which means that at least from the FINA perspective, there won't be as much waiting and nail-biting from swimmers with B times waiting to see if they get called to the championships.

The qualifying period begins July 1, 2012 and run through to July 1, 2013 (with the even to begin on July 19th).

Overall, the standards are more relaxed than the Olympics, especially in the case of those like the men's 50 free, where the Olympic A time was a brutal mark. The difference between these and Olympic standards are layed out in the table below (+'s are slower). Almost all are slower, and none got faster.

The time standards are equivalent to 16th place at Worlds in 2016 for the A standard, though there's no obvious number on the B-standard.

More detailed rules that federations would need can be read here.

1. FINA “A” & “B” SWIMMING QUALIFYING TIME STANDARDS

If a National Federation enters only one (1) swimmer per event all swimmers entered must meet the qualifying B standard time. If two (2) swimmers are entered in the same event, both of them must meet the qualifying A standard time.

Federations may enter swimmers regardless of standard time as follows:

•  having no swimmer qualified: two (2) men and two (2) women;*
• having one (1) or two (2) swimmers qualified, additional swimmers up to a maximum of four (4) swimmers (two (2) men and two (2) women);*
• having three (3) swimmers qualified one (1) additional swimmer provided that both genders are represented.*

* Note – Please refer to new FINA Rule BL 9.3.6.2

Swimmers entered without qualifying time must have participated in the National Championships of the Federation. These swimmers will be allowed to enter in two (2) events each.

Relays: 4x100m Freestyle, 4x200m Freestyle, 4x100m Medley – Men & Women.

• Each Member Federation may enter only one (1) team in each relay event

Time Standards

(Number in parenthesis is the difference between 2012 Olympic Time and 2013 World Championship Time). See the London qualifying times here.